YLU Tifa's Departure
by Kisara Strife
Summary: Prequel to You Left Us. What happened in the years Tifa hid from Cloud and her family? What happened in Edge during those same years? Two sides of the one coin that culminates in the tale of You Left Us...Toss the coin and see which side you get...
1. The Departure

**Author's Note;** Hi everyone!! This is supposedly a oneshot, but if people ask me to continue then I'll more than likely write more stuff for ye! Anyway, it's a prequel to my fic "_You Left Us_", wherein Tifa suddenly upped and left when her daughter with Cloud was only four months old, effectively leaving Cloud to raise Marlene, Denzel and the baby girl, run his delivery business and attempt to keep 7th Heaven afloat aswell…

* * *

_Eggshells_…that was exactly what they were walking on as the two youngsters crept through the sitting room on their toes, not willing to make a noise for slight fear of what it might induce. The older of the two found his blue eyes wandering to the sofa, where the pillow and blanket remained; for nothing less than a month now, Cloud and Tifa had been having such volatile fights that the husband of the spouses had been reduced to sleeping on the couch, and the two were barley civil to each other anymore; the household was all picture and no sound between the past childhood friends.

"Can you see them?"

"Shush…"

Ten-year-old Denzel turned slightly and whispered this to his younger sister-figure as he placed a finger to his lips and continued onwards straight through the kitchen and into the hallway, only to hear the familiar sounds that'd they'd been subjected to for just over a month now.

"Why don't you say it to my face, not behind my back, Tifa?!"

"Strife, you're a self-centred, ignorant son of a-"

"C'mon, Marlene!"

Denzel merely clamped his hands over his eight-year-old sister's ears as he pushed her in front of him through the empty 7th Heaven, grabbing his schoolbag and her's on the way before turning back towards the house section of the bar, contemplating whether to shout goodbye for the day or not…choosing the latter of these options as more muffled insults could be heard, along with Kearie's crying…the hazel-haired little boy just shook his head and walked out the door, grabbing Marlene's hand as they crossed the busy road running through the centre of Edge and meeting up with Kira and few more kids along the way, heading for the primary school that'd been set up by the WRO and funded mainly by Shinra, free enrolment to all kids; it was one of the ways Rufus was atoning for his company's wrongs in the past.

* * *

No matter what the mother tried, she just wouldn't stop crying as Tifa attempted to sway her from side-to-side, and then to rock the little infant gently, but Kearie was having none of it as her mother's eyes began to well with frustrated tears, all the while spurred on by Cloud's form sitting on the edge of the double bed he hadn't been permitted to sleep in for a whole month now, watching with maybe a slight hint of an amused smirk as she so unsuccessfully tried to quieten their daughter.

"Stop smiling like an idiot and make yourself useful, goddamn it!"

"Make myself useful? As you command your majesty…"

The cold sarcasm was painstakingly evident in his voice as the blond stood and took Kearie from her struggling mother and merely looked down at the infant, who immediately ceased her crying as she looked up at her father. By the time he had looked back up from where Kearie was gurgling happily, Tifa had stormed from the room and downstairs…she just wasn't the same since their daughter had been born and couldn't handle the baby at all, often loosing her temper becuase of it.

* * *

Picture and no sound again as Tifa served the dinner that night, having aided Marlene and Denzel in as much of their homework as she could manage whilst serving behind the bar. Cloud entered at one stage and asked a civil question, only to be given the cold shoulder and disappear out on Fenrir for a while, it was better than hanging round here and being ignored constantly; she'd be calling him to come home as soon as Kearie woke and cried for her feed.

As he sat with his back against the Buster sword and his trademark motorcycle parked only feet away, Cloud stared up at the sky and sighed heavily, wanting to know where they'd gone so wrong as to be at each other's throats the whole time…and then the thunder gave a fore lonely roll as the dark, almost black clouds let loose their downpour upon Gaia, unable to hold their heavy loads any longer…and all he done was sit and stare up into the droplets, remembering an evening like this many years ago when he'd crawled out from behind the boulder and found his closest friend lying flat on the crimson-stained ground…still laughing and joking as he passed onto the Promised Land.

"Zack, why the hell is my life so complicated?"

* * *

Where was he? Marlene and Denzel were in bed and she'd even managed to get Kearie off to sleep…and now it was raining non-stop out there. He's left in a bad mood when she'd refused to answer him…what if Fenrir had skidded on the road…what if there'd been a crash-

The noise of the door opening and his boots on the wooden floor made her race from the kitchen and into the bar, hugging his drenched frame with immeasurable relief before the blond even had time to drop the keys to his motorcycle onto a nearby table. Cloud blinked with surprise as she hugged him…a month of sleeping in the living room had prepared him for an earful and bollicking when he got home, not a loving hug.

"Teef, you're hugging me…"

"I'm sorry! I should've answered you! Don't ever disappear like that again, Cloud! I'm sorry…"

"Hey, don't cry; I'm okay…honestly."

He smirked and hugged her back as she began to sob into his chest, his spikey hair dripping rainwater onto her ebony locks…she had been genuinely frightened, that much he could tell as she continued to cry, thankful for him to be home and safe.

* * *

"Y'know…it's a double bed for a reason, Cloud…"

He had seemed shocked as she had said that to him earlier, it had almost been comical…but they'd been fighting for so long now it just seemed a second nature for him to retire to the living room couch, fall asleep watching some cheap re-run of a show and wake with a painful and uncomfortable crick in his neck due to the arm of the sofa and sleeping at an angle…but his arms around her had seemed so new it had frightened her…had she and Cloud really drifted so far apart in this last month? But Cloud hadn't drifted anywhere; it was she, Tifa, pushing him away, running and distancing herself to such an extent as to feel an outsider in her own house…and that was the reason she was still lying awake into the early hours of the morning, having feigned sleep for long enough now…but something had forced its realization upon her conscience somewhere over the hours; she had caused all this and had absolutely no clue how to stop her feelings…she loved her children, all three of them, and yet Kearie preferred Cloud, why? She'd gone through hours of excruciating labour and yet her love wasn't returned and for whatever reasons of childish spitefulness, she hated Cloud…hated that he could handle their daughter with such ease…that he was just so good; all along she'd been the one expecting to have to tell him how to do things but he'd taken to fatherhood almost as well as he'd taken to using a Buster sword…it was envy-inducing in the very least and now it actually frightened her to think that she might harbour hate for him…how was she supposed to go on everyday whilst knowing that she actually felt hateful towards her husband?

The only noise heard was Cloud stirring slightly as she stood from the bed and walked to his side where the handsome blond lay in the most peaceful and comfortable sleep he had enjoyed in almost a month now. With a tear streaking down her cheek, Tifa turned and walked to the end of their bed, dressing herself in the clothes she had worn the previous day and picking up one of the old rucksacks Denzel had won when his soccer team had come first in their league, throwing a few items into it…the ten-year-old had been so happy on that day and the one thing that had ruined it had been the volatile rows that had consumed his household that night as Tifa and Cloud had ploughed headlong into yet another shouting match between them.

"I am so sorry…after fighting Sephiroth, and then having the courage to start a family with me…you deserve better...I- I just need some time, that's all."

And with that she leaned downwards, brushing her hair behind her ears with her left hand to prevent it tracing along his pale cheek, planting an unbearably light kiss upon his forehead before exiting the room and attempted to take the first of the steps that accumulated to the flight of stairs and yet something stopped her…and the woman found herself walking down the hallway and gently pushing open the door, entering into the smallest of the upstairs rooms, the walls adorned by a light pastel pink…and a haunting mobile made up of Chocobos and Moogles hung up over the cot.

Tifa felt her body freeze and her breath catch in the back of her throat as Kearie's mirroring irises opened and stared inquisitively up at her; if the baby girl began to cry now, then what was she to do? It was only by miracle that she'd managed to get her to sleep earlier; a combination of an early feed mixed with a Rusk and DVD of Bob The Builder…for some reason the little four-month-old refused to be quiet whilst watching normal things for an infant girl; like Barney or even Dora the Explorer…she would be a tomboy out and out when she reached adolescance. The mother picked up the dummie (pacifier) that lay on the blanket and gently placed in her daughter's mouth; the infant contently suckled on the small soother for a few seconds as her tiny eyelids drooped flower and lower until little Kearie had drifted off into a blissfully-oblivious sleep once again.

"I'll back soon hunnie…just take care of your Dad till I sort things out…I promise I won't be long."

She didn't once look over her shoulder as she walked down the stairs and out through the front door of 7th Heaven and down the miserably dark street, the new "Hydro" electricity wasn't as powerful as the Mako of olden, but it wasn't doing the planet any harm and that was what mattered nowadays…but she never once looked back towards 7th Heaven as she exited the still-developing city, for she knew that if she did, she would not walk with such a prominence in her step; it would only be a little while…she just needed a little bit of time to sort her head out, that was all…

**a/n- did u like this? As I said, I'll write more if asked, but if nobody wants anymore then it seems pretty okay as a oneshot. C yas!! XxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	2. An Absence

**Author's Note;** Sorry about the wiat- you all know about the internet problem at this stage and it's finally fixed!!! I've been getting a load of homework recently as Parent-Teacher meetings loom on the inevitably-close horizon...but our English teacher has been giving us more work and I think I'm imporving...well, I _like_ to think so, lol!! ANyways, tell me what ye thinks hun!! Kas- out! XxxxxxxxxX

* * *

He woke with a start and blinked once or twice, unaware of what had actually caused him to stir from his sleep. Rolling over onto his right side, Cloud flashed one of his handsome half-smirks, expecting to see his wife's sleeping frame, but instead the other side of the double bed was disturbingly cold and a little tossed. The blond shook his head as the smirk dissipated, feeling slightly unnerved now as he pondered what could have her up so early; it was only just closing on eight in the morning…but then it struck Cloud that Tifa was probably just up to ready the bar for open hours; he'd always awoken uncomfortably and painfully in the sitting room at close-enough nine, and she'd always called him a lazy fucker because of it…that amongst many, many other names, but all that was over now and it was about time too; he couldn't even recollect why they'd been fighting in the first place, but at least it could be put in the past now, and then the blond realised what had woken him from his quite contented sleep; the sound of an infant crying. 

Groaning, he pulled himself from the bed and walked down the hall in a pair of pyjama pants, preferring not to wear t-shirts whilst sleeping, a trait that his wife had always chided him for; Tifa was probably just having some problems with Kearie's early feed…but the nursery was empty as he entered, apart from his crying daughter who was squirming in her cot, as if indignant that nobody had fed her yet, frowning with confusion, Cloud bent down and scooped his daughter into his arms, with the infant ceasing her crying immediately as was trademark whenever he picked her up. Another couple of minutes of confusion in the nursery before footsteps were heard in the hall and Denzel padded past, yawning deeply as he absently scratched the side of his head whilst wiping the sleep from his eyes; the ten-year-old cast a sideways glance into the nursery, expecting to see the woman he now called mom standing in there, yet completed a quizzical double-take upon seeing the other.

"Dad? What're you doing up here?"

Cloud looked from Kearie, now babbling in his arms, to the stunned lad and motioned his head to the infant whilst casting a curious look around; he'd been expecting Tifa to walk down the hall behind the boy, having been the one to rouse him from his sleep in time for school, but the woman didn't appear, causing Cloud to disregard his adoptive-son's question whilst he juggled Kearie from one arm to the other.

"Ehhh…where's your mother?"

Denzel looked up at the man who had signed his adoption papers about six months ago now and shook his head with a still-sleepy and confused look in his deep blue eyes, glancing up the hallway as Marlene appeared, bleary-eyed with her hazel tresses tossed and tangled due to her sleep. Cloud made to enquire about Tifa's whereabouts to the little girl, but was halted as a shout could be heard from downstairs as someone entered the pub a floor below, calling up the stairs.

"Hallloooooo! Anyone home?!"

The blond completed a confused full-circle as he searched and located Kearie's dummie and placed it in her mouth just as the infant began to get a bit indignant about her late feed, then he ushered the two kids ahead of him and down the stairs, into the kitchen, where Yuffie was standing, having entered via the front door. She eyed the family of four with a somewhat suspicious air…

"How come your front door was unlocked?"

"Not a clue, you seen Teef around?"

"Huh? How could you lose her?"

As the recently crowned Queen of Wutai asked this in a shocked fashion, Denzel stifled a laugh at the phrasing of the question, whilst Marlene looked up to Cloud worriedly as she only now noticed the absence of Tifa from their morning-escapades.

"Cloud, where's Tifa?"

The blond rolled his eyes to heaven and shot Yuffie a blaming look as he bent down and reassured the girl, setting Kearie down in her bouncer as he fished a bottle of mixed milk formula from the fridge and set it to heat in the warmer on the counter. Yuffie then took the initiative and set the now sixteen-month-old Jamie down and let him explore the Strife household kitchen, she then took note of the time and instructed Marlene and Denzel to run upstairs and get dressed for school…only once the duo had disappeared up the stairs did she turn to her old friend.

"What d'you mean have I seen her, she's your wife! I know you two were fighting, but things couldn't be that bad, Cloud."

He glanced out the door, towards the stairs and spoke in a hushed voice, aware of Marlene's uncanny knack of eavesdropping before talking to the Wutain young woman and picking Kearie up, giving her the over-due bottle of milk.

"We were fighting…but things sorted themselves out last night and I thought we were back to normal…but she wasn't in bed this morning and Kearie hadn't been fed…and there's no orders to be collected from the suppliers today either…it's just odd that's all, and to be honest, Yuffie, I'm kinda freaked out."

The mother nodded her head of short ebony tresses and took a breath to say something, but stopped herself short as Marlene and Denzel appeared, schoolbags on their backs and looked up at the two adults expectantly. Yuffie smiled and picked up a hairbrush, running it through Marlene's thick tresses, braiding them in their trademark plait as Cloud took note that there were no lunches in the fridge, instead he handed gil to Denzel, instructing the boy to give his sister-figure half of the sum for her lunch, as he knew the lad already would.

As the two children exited the bar, Denzel protectively holding his little sister's hand as they crossed the road, Cloud decided to go upstairs and dress, also to search their room in case Tifa had left a note or some other type of message, as to insinuate where she had gone this morning. As he did so, Yuffie watched her young son eyeing the now-slumbering infant that was Kearie, curious as to why she couldn't stand up and play with him…his toddler mind was still so young, he couldn't comprehend things such as age between he and this little girl. The two would most probably grow up to be close friends, judging by the fact that Vincent was Kearie's godfather and the closeness of their parents' friendships aswell…with a grin she imagined the outcome adolescance would bring; it would rather ironic f the two now-infants ended up being a couple - her thoughts were halted by Cloud appearing at the doorway, his face one of confusion as he spoke to her.

"Some of her clothes are missing, along with a couple of pictures…"

* * *

The truck rattled by noisily as it deposited the hitch-hiker its driver had picked up along the way; it was only by chance he was going this way, but he couldn't have left such a pretty young woman to walk all that distance…she seemed so depressed-looking as he eyed her in the side-view mirror before the dust cast up by the rolling wheels obscured her from his vision. 

With a sigh, Tifa shouldered her relatively-light rucksack and walked the couple of hundred yards into the entrance of the village…three years, had it really been that long since they'd visited this place early into their travels? But as she walked through the shabby entrance and past the trademark well that marked the pitiful centre of the small town, her wine-hued irises could pick up and people recognising her and a few shocked gasps as they saw her with her rucksack; the survivors of the Incident had returned home and with that she found solace as her aunt approached the young woman and hugged her, Tifa finally breaking down into tears as she remembered how she had left the front door unlocked that morning…Yuffie had said she's be over; the were meant to go shopping today…

**a/n- did u like this chapter?? Again, sorry bout the wait and let me know what ye thought peoples!! XxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	3. Shame

**Author's Note;** Sorry bout the wait guys- just got over one of my biggest bouts of Writer's Block and I'm going on my school trip to Holland tonight for a whole week, so I said I'd post it now. Let me know waht ye thought of it anyhow peeps!! Kas:-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"What do you mean she still isn't back?"

Yuffie nodded her head adamantly as Vincent continued to stare at her with what she knew was shock in his garnet eyes; somewhere over the last couple of years, she had become accustomed to his way of expressing feelings and emotions and was capable of reading her husband just like an open book.

"Mmmm hmmm; I went over there this morning and Marlene asked for her straight away- but all he could do was shake his head…I honestly don't know what's going on, Vince; I mean I knew they were fighting and everything, but a whole week?"

It was true; for seven days now, Cloud had been on the road searching for any sign of Tifa…but to no apparent avail. Whilst he'd been gone, Marlene and Denzel had stayed with the Valentines, whilst Reeve and Shalua had tended to Kearie, but the blond and Fenrir had returned to Edge this morning with no new traces and the effects of little sleep and constant travelling were starting to show in his appearance; the dark circles and general taciturn quietness were enough to alert everyone to a mass congregation in Edge; Cid and Shera were arriving today, having searched all along the coasts for their missing friend, Reeve had had his WRO operatives out asking questions and whatnot, trying to pinpoint her whereabouts, but even the resourceful Turks had turned up nothing when adding their talents to the search.

By now all of Edge had come to know of Tifa Strife's sudden disappearance and it was common to go into a café, buy a cup of coffee and chat about her over the table, a trend that served in irking all of AVALANCHE as they were spurred on into searching for her; Barret had even braved the people of his hometown in a bid to find out any information he could on the whereabouts of the young woman he almost considered a daughter…and still nothing had turned up.

Yuffie had employed the young children of Wutai to put their ninja skills to use and stealthily eavesdrop in on conversations and still the nation of noble warriors had heard nothing concerning Tifa Strife, even Godo had turned up a blank page when his daughter, all too forwardly, grilled him about the topic in the outburst kind of way that was Yuffie's trademark. A last ditch-effort had been decided upon last night when Cloud had returned to his hometown of Nibelheim and although nobody intended for it to happen; everyone had been certain she would be there and their hopes had been unintentionally raised, a fact that was only noticed when Cloud had returned home this morning with no news and the sinking feeling had become almost unbearable within their chests…where could she possibly be.

"Shush, Yuffie…it's okay…"

Vincent only then saw the shimmer of tears in his wife's eyes and wrapped an arm around her, letting her cry indignantly into his chest as she attempted to hastily wipe away the stupid tears; it was seldom that Yuffie cried…she just didn't let things get her down and always lived by the lighter side of life, preferring to regard all her friends as pessimists rather than become one herself.

* * *

The house was much too quite as he laid down on the sofa and took advantage of this unnerving stillness to gain back a couple of hours of sleep that he'd suddenly become deprived of as Shalua had offered to hold onto Kearie until tonight and then he'd back to the usual routine…but it wouldn't be normal. He wasn't just stunned, but Cloud was absolutely dumbfounded. Everything had just righted itself and now this…had he done something? Hade he said anything? If so, then where was she so as he could apologise for this week without her had surely been a punishment he wouldn't wish upon even Sephiroth- the kids had been great and so had his friends; all immediately abandoning their lives and rallying round as they always did and yet the longing, aching pain in his chest was killing him inside…for even when the house had been picture and no sound, at least he'd found solace in the presence of his wife in the building but this…this was just torture to have to return to what he could only describe as the shell of a house and already 7th Heaven's accounts were beginning to droop; the blond had just finished the books for this week and the profit was substantially lower than it had ever been and Cloud knew he wasn't a barman- he was a delivery boy…

* * *

The sunshine was warm on her face as she crossed the small patch of land that represented the centre of the equally-small village…last night had been a night of utter panic as the familiar roar of the engine had affronted her sense of hearing…how she had frozen behind the counter of the only bar in Nibelheim upon hearing the approaching rumble of Fenrir. A game of musical houses as neighbour after neighbour passed her from one home to another upon her requesting not for the lad to find her…and yet it pulled at her heartstrings to hear Cloud asking incessantly about any clues as to her whereabouts and then Tifa had caught a glimpse of her husband- he seemed only a shadow of the man she had slept alongside only a week ago; gaunt face, bags beneath his eyes and accompanied by an air of almost pleading as he remained in the village for almost an hour, refusing to believe that some of his old neighbours knew nothing of her and still Tifa just couldn't seem to find it within herself to walk out and relieve him of his non-stop searching…

She'd only intended upon coming here for a day or two to clear her head, but now she didn't know how to feel as her mind flashed back upon Cloud; seven days had passed and he was coping all that well, but what it she returned and screwed Kearie up? What if the jealousy and hate to felt towards her husband took over and their relationship broke apart? She couldn't handle it if those derogatory fights were to flare to life again…and the only thing that had spurred her to pick fights with Cloud in the first place was her greedy jealousy towards his handling of Kearie…but what was she supposed to say to him? Stop being such a good Dad? Quit doing everything right?

Seven days had elapsed too quickly for her and Tifa knew she'd be here for at least another seven as her emotions fought with her reason and a new element entered the fray; shame.

**a/n- Let me know what you thought guys and I'll see you all in a week!! Kas:-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	4. Closed

**Author's Note;** Hey huns- next chaptr and I want to say thanks for the support huns, I'm tryin to make time for me writing now and I'm glad I got this done so plees let me know what ye thinks huns!! Kas:-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

_Closed for business_…

He heaved a heavy sigh as he hung up the sign the gang had given him a few days after the whole Sephiroth fiasco- he'd never imagined he'd be using it for 7th Heaven, but things had spiralled out of control and if it was his business or _hers_…well then, the Strife Delivery Service won hands down. Still Cloud smirked inwardly as he thought the last word with quite the spiteful tone…he couldn't believe it had been so long now without even a word from her- a whole twelve months, a year in full without the slightest sound or sight of her…and if she ever chose to return, Tifa could see the fruits of her actions in the now shut down 7th Heaven as he could no longer keep a roof above their kids' heads if he was stretched between two jobs.

Rufus and the gang had been great, with the young company-owner deploying a number of his Turks to lend a hand with the deliveries and yet Cloud knew it was inevitable that the publican house had had to be closed, a sorry thing to hear for poor Reno who was a more-than-regular customer in the premises.

As for the kids, after a year's of growing they were almost unrecognisable, with eleven-year-old Denzel having grown several inches taller and now the star striker of his school soccer team, not to mention doing pretty well in his studies aswell. Marlene was now the most precious little girl any parent could ask for; she was polite, well-behaved and never, ever gave back cheek…and as Barret often said; she would have made Dyne and Eleanor extremely proud but Cloud had another reckoning to his friend's words, for the blond, disregarding how rude it sounded, didn't really care for how proud Marlene would have made her parents had they been alive, all he cared about was how proud he felt knowing the little girl was happy in her life right now for she'd been so upset after Tifa's disappearance. Marlene had excelled in her schoolwork and showed amazing potential as, one night about five weeks ago, Denzel had been struggling with some maths questions he couldn't quite get his head around and had gone outside to kick a ball about for a while and vent some frustration, only to com in about half-an-hour later and find his sister, two years his junior, occupying his place at the kitchen table, feet dangling as she hummed contently whilst working out his maths sums on an additional page, only for Shera to walk in and cast her engineer's eye over the completed sums and declare the answers one hundred percent correct…Marlene then patiently went through the process of explaining to her older brother of how to do the maths…come to think of it, since then Denzel had also improved with his maths…

"Whoa, take it easy!"

Cloud laughed as he bent down and scooped Kearie up into his arms as Jamie laughed, Steven Highwind and Bobby Shinra by his side. The father's smile only widened as he took in his daughter's appearance; soft ebony hair that almost reached her petite shoulders as her impish smile only served in reminding him of her mother. Kearie had only begun to take a few steps this time last week and now she was running about…the epiphany of running before one could walk! But the little toddler protested loudly until her Dad had lowered to the ground and she was running about with the three boys yet again. The trio of little males all knew Kearie as part of their group by now even though she was twelve months younger than them and yet none of the babies seemed to notice that, a trait that had Cloud a bit apprehensive, for what would ensue when the boys turned four and the time came to enrol them in school? He couldn't see Kearie being happy with being left on her own for a year until she was four and even then, he would have nobody her age enrolling again…still, he would cross that bridge when the time came.

"Cloud, Rufus wanted to know could you mind Bobby till about nine tonight?"

The young blond looked down into the emerald eyes of Shera Highwind as she asked this whilst flicking back her long ponytail of hazel tresses, and then to the two-and-a-half year old little boy with light sandy hair and slate grey irises. Without even a second's hesitation, Cloud nodded his spikey blond head. Bobby's mother had died when complications had arisen during his difficult birth…she'd only been twenty-four. These days, with trying to make up for his father's tyrannical reign over the planet, Rufus was run off his feet with Shinra and trying to raise his son single-handedly so it was common to fin one of the AVALANCHE couple lending a hand and minding the small boy for the day or maybe a night, but Rufus did his best to be there for Bobby and had been doing an admirable job so far…and he'd managed to drag Shinra's name from the mud and place it back within the eye of Gaia as he dished out gil to the WRO and his ever-faithful Turks were deployed even as far off as Galbadia, where Tseng and Elena were now stationed lending the mercenary school there a hand with the training of their prodigious SeeDs.

* * *

Her little haven; that's what this little mountain village from her childhood had turned into…she didn't know how long she'd been here nor did she want to, for it only reminded the attractive woman of what she was hiding from…she hadn't heard of Fenrir since that panic-stricken night long ago at this stage and yet the rumble of the engine within the sleek ebony motorcycle still haunted her dreams as did the pale complexion, toned muscles, crystal clear blue eyes…and the feel of his arms around her…all these not only disturbed her sleep but haunted Tifa ever waking moment of every day as she cleaned the counter of the small pub in Nibelheim where she'd secured a job. Every time the door opened, she expected for Marlene and Denzel to run past and cling to the young man around the waist whilst he laughed and shook rainwater from his spikey mess of hair…she wanted to hear the laugh of her children, the babble that filled the kitchen at dinner time…and more than anything she wanted the man she had waited so long for and yet it seemed so simple in her head but her feet just wouldn't budge from this simple and planned out life she'd made for herself in Nibelheim for here was where she felt safe and secure, wrapped in her little perfect village…but Tifa Strife yearned…she yearned for the smell of her husband, the feel of his skin against hers, the comfort of his imposing frame standing behind her…and yet she knew she had thrown all that away for the want of sorting out her head, only to find her thoughts more jumbled than they'd ever been but one point made it through to her disorientated mind; amidst all the disarray, the _Gaia Reporter_ had yielded a message to her that morning in the form of a front-page spread that showed the locked door and stark "_Closed for business_" sign that was strung over the handle as the curtains remained drawn across the panes of glass. The large caption said it all; "**Iconic 7****th**** Heaven To Close Her Doors For Good**" the message was so clear, it was almost like his piercing Mako eyes were glaring at her from the page, giving her yet another reason to stay in her small haven; Cloud had moved on.

**A/n- well huns, what ye thinks???? Let me know then hun!! Kas:-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	5. Life Above Past

**Author's Note;** Hey huns, sorry bout the wait, got sidetracked with other stuff- but here's chappie 5 so please let me know what you think huns!! Kas, :-) XxxxxxxxxxX Heads-up to NA313 who asked me when I was getting back to this- here you go evil old Detroit boi!!

* * *

"And why exactly were you fighting?"

The reddish hazel irises were misleadingly innocent as she blinked up at him once or twice with the wide Bambi-reminiscint saucers; twelve years old and already tuned into the workings of her father as she spoke in guilt-laden pitiful voice.

"I'm sorry, Daddy…"

If it hadn't been for the smile tugging at the corners of her mouth, or the smirk she hid from view by diverting her gaze to the ground as Selphie began laughing quietly, then maybe Kearie would have gotten away with the innocent routine, only problem being Cloud was all too used to these escapades by now, and knew when he was being played by a couple of kids. Hiding a smirk of his own, Tseng folded his arms across his chest and directed his hazel gaze down at his own little perpetrator.

"Anything to say for yourself, Selphie?"

After another few seconds of silence in which his almost thirteen-year-old daughter refrained from answering, the man sighed and spoke again, this time with a bit more of the leader-typical stern quality entering his voice.

"You made that girl's nose bleed…"

"Karris should be thankful I didn't break it…"

At the sound of the name, both the father's looked at each other over their daughter's heads and nodded; they'd suspected it had to do with Robin Karris when the principal had rung Tseng at work and Cloud, who'd been on his way to the west of the city at the time. For some reason the girls just couldn't stop fighting and things had, literally, exploded when they'd all progressed into secondary school about four months ago now. After another while, the head of the Turks departed the house, along with Selphie.

The spikey-haired father shook his head and sat down at the opposite side of the table to his pre-teen daughter and locked his sharp Mako-blue eyes with the soft chestnut of hers'…keeping that gaze deadlocked until Kearie shifted uneasily.

"What Dad?"

"You gonna tell me what happened?"

As a reply to this query, the child diverted her gaze to the many pictures that were pinned to the refrigerator and began to feign interest in them, speaking low as she did so; she'd been a fool to think her father would let this slip- he always kept asking till he got an answer.

"She called me homeless cos the pub is closed…and then asked if my mother would be at the parent-teacher meetings next week…"

"And way did you say?"

"Nothing."

Cloud found this hard to believe as he raised his blond eyebrows in a questioning manner- Kearie always took things to heart and would hold a grudge forever if need be; it was unlike her to say _nothing_. With a characteristic smirk, the twelve-year-old glanced up and spoke sheepishly.

"I didn't have time to- Selphie had already punched her…"

With a slight chuckle, Cloud stood and walked round, tousling his daughter's hair as he spoke in a light tone, knowing how much happier the girl had been since Tseng and Elena had moved back to Edge from Galbadia, bringing with them their daughter, Selphie.

"Ignore them, Kearie; all bullies are pathetic…trust me, I used to get a lot of stick when I was your age aswell."

As her doe-like eyes looked back up at him in a silent question as to the meaning of his words, wanting to know the possible reason her invincible father could have been bullied, Cloud smirked and idly pulled at one of his blond spikes, indicating the unruly hairstyle.

"_Chocobo head_…that was a favourite…"

A knock on the door brought with it the form of the now twenty-two year old Denzel Strife, and three shorter figures, who immediately stuck their heads in the kitchen door way and smirked, with the taller of the trio speaking.

"Selphie's outside- she got off light…you coming, Kearie?"

"Go on."

"Thanks, Dad!

Denzel watched as his little sister hurriedly hugged her father and hopped off the chair, heading outside with Steven, Bobby and Jamie towards their fifth counterpart. As the door closed, Denzel looked to his father.

"You always grounded me after I was in a fight…"

"You're different."

"How?"

"You have balls…fancy running a few deliveries?"

Denzel backtracked hastily as the man made a kick for the fore-mentioned anatomical area, earning a laugh from the blond as he noticed a dark patch on his son's neck, knowing exactly how he'd received such a bruise…and what it entailed.

"How's Kira these days?"

The slight blush that crept upon Denzel's cheeks was obvious to see as the lad hastily looked away and picked up a few of the logs for the Strife Delivery Service, faking uttermost interest as he read them, all the while his cheeks growing a deeper shade...

"What were you saying about deliveries?"

* * *

It was hard going nowadays in Nibelheim- more and more tourists were arriving to take a look at the abandoned reactor on Mt. Nibel, putting more pressure on the guide's, innkeepers and bartenders. Once upon a time, she had had the whole long lazy day to sit on her chair behind the counter and delve into the deep complexity of her own mind…and actually do what she had initially eloped here to do; sort her thoughts out…but yet, these days, Tifa could barely find the time to wipe up spills from the counter top before the next order for a drink arrived.

Maybe it was better this way as she immersed herself in work rather than tedious thoughts. All along she had told herself she needed to sit down and have a good long think concerning the life she had abandoned and now, with no time to even contemplate such a thing, the woman seemed the brightest she had in the years since unexpectedly arriving back in her hometown.

The young blond man still passed by every now and then but the townspeople no longer had to play musical house and hide the woman- she merely stayed inside the tavern and done her job. Cloud never ventured inside for a drink and one would wonder if the two would even pass each other the time of day if he did; would he recognise her…it was almost as if, though their minds still flickered upon one another, their individual lives were already miles ahead and living, rather than stewing on what could have happened that night had she not left; she had and that was that- game over- move on.

With a soft melancholy sigh Tifa took up the tea towel and wiped away the liquid that had spilled onto the counter and just as her mind reflected upon a time, years ago at this stage, when she had done this very same action in her own premises, another customer popped up and ordered a round…emphasizing that her life wouldn't allow her mind the torture of looking back upon that promising life she'd walked out on- she worked as an automatic shell nowadays in order to keep up with these curious tourists, for emotion was a thing of the painful past and not needed. She would laugh falsely at their jokes, feign interest in their stories and smile happily as mother's showed her pictures of their children, smiled so much that her cheeks pained her at night…as did her dreams of small reddish-hazel irises glancing up at her inquisitively that night as the almost unfamiliar infant awoke in her cot.

**A/n- well, let me know what you think huns!! Kas, :-) XxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	6. Changes

**Author's Note;** Hey huns, sorry about the way I've kinda left this fic drifting in nothingness, I kinda got preoccupied with school, work and other fics and I am so, so sorry that I neglected the readers of this fic- it won't happen again, I promise you!! XxxxxxxxxxxxX

* * *

"Well, lookey here guys…the prodigal Wutain returns…"

Both Selphie and Kearie raised their heads as Bobby made the observation whilst smirking slightly as Jamie sat down alongside him, having been absent from school for the last two months- apparently some things had needed to be sorted out in Wutai and Yuffie, along with her family, had been summoned to the nation to partake in the happenings.

"Trouble in paradise?"

"Shut up guys!"

Bobby and Steven both cringed as Selphie turned on them, hissing with venom as she heard the Prince of Wutai sighing. The boys just grinned sheepishly- they'd noticed how Jamie didn't sit anywhere near his girlfriend, Robin Karris. The girl mentioned didn't look all too happy either- she'd been out sick for the past couple of days and had only just arrived back in school, with a look on her face that would split someone clean in half…Robin didn't seem to notice, or even care, that Jamie was out and out avoiding sitting anywhere near her; she was keeping her grey eyes pinned to the board as the teacher carried on with the lesson.

* * *

"Thanks Zangan!"

The now-aged Martial Arts teacher smiled warmly as the fifteen-year-old raced away down one of the streets she knew so well thanks to often helping her father with the smaller deliveries on weekends. _Fifteen_…that's how old Tifa had been when everything had happened in her hometown…and even though he'd just begun training her in advanced Martial Arts, the grey-haired man could already see Kearie's potential shining through, just as it had with her mother in the sleepy mountain village of Nibelheim. But the young girl would most likely never have to put her skills into practice as her mother had; the youth and her friends were destined for a peaceful life in comparison to that of their parents…

Although he knew it was wrong, Zangan knew exactly where Tifa had been all these years, she'd wrote to him on a number of occasions- how could he not know? The girl had been a daughter to him and it had been he to carry her back from the reactor on Mt. Nibel and bring her to Midgar, healing her as they travelled…he had the utmost respect for Cloud, with the youth facing Sephiroth when he was only a year older than his daughter. Zangan had been elated to watch Barret Wallace give Tifa away on the day of her wedding to the blond kid from Nibelheim- the boy had proven his worth time and time again, and the old Martial Arts master had presumed that everything would be fine, especially when he heard of Tifa's pregnancy; the couple had been taking care of the two small children, Marlene and Denzel, for a number of years, but one of their own was a completely different thing…

Only, the young mother had disappeared when her daughter was only four months old, and whatever had happened, Zangan knew Cloud didn't deserve to be thrown in at the deep end like that. Out of sheer want, he had travelled to Nibelheim two weeks later and tracked down his past-pupil, begging her to return to Edge…she didn't say why, but she adamently refused to go back hom and made him promise to keep an eye on her family, a promise he agreed to and kept to this very day.

But the muscled man cracked an amused smile as he thought of the colourful words Tifa would surely curse him with when she saw what he enclosed in the envelope alongside the letter he'd sent her a few days ago…

* * *

"Denzel…can I crash here tonight?"

A few seconds of silence greeted the teen as she waited by the half-open front door, then rapidly running footsteps were heard as tiny feet ran as fast as they could up the hallway in response to the call. With half a laugh, Kearie dropped her gear bag onto the ground and caught the running infant, swinging him up into her arms whilst he screamed with delight, brown hair tousled as his blue eyes gazed up at his auntie.

"Jason!"

Kearie hoisted the boy up onto her hip and hugged him close- she hadn't seen her little nephew in a couple of weeks on account of Denzel being dragged to Junon to visit a few relatives of Kira's…they'd only arrived back yesterday and things had been a bit busy with the Strife Delivery Service, so Kearie hadn't managed to find the time to call over, but she'd make up for it in no time; her father and brother often cracked jokes about her permanently moving in with Denzel and Kira as she seemed to spend more time there than in her own home, by their reckoning anyway. But Cloud always preferred his daughter to stay at Denzel's, or even Selphie's when he was stuck on long deliveries- at least then he knew there was someone around if anything was to happen, and maybe he worried a little less- just a small bit though...

"Hey sis; Dad called and said you'd be coming over- the spare room's all yours."

"Thanks, how was Junon?"

At this, the now twenty-five year old Denzel grinned sheepishly as he picked up his little sister's dropped bag and let her pass him, closing the door behind her as Jason found a new game in admiring his auntie's shiny earrings. When they'd entered the living room, Denzel lowered the bag onto the couch and turned to his sister, a half-pleading, half-joking look upon his face as he spoke.

"Kearie, if Kira ever takes me to Junon again, do me a favour and shoot me!"

"That bad so…"

"Honest to Minerva- they're the snootiest people I've ever met; they wanted to know why I was adopted, did my parents not want me? I told them what happened my real parents- they asked if I supported the new Shinra…on and on and bloody _on_!"

With a laugh, Kearie set the toddling Jason down, he having begun walking about two months ago and had improved at a steady rate since to the stage where the little fifteen-month-old was running more so than walking. With a questioning look on her face, Kearie cast a look around before looking to her older brother.

"Where is Kira anyhow?"

Denzel bent and began picking up the odd toy or two his son had delighted in playing with, yet adamantly refused to put back in the blue storage crate allotted to his playthings, with a half-hearted sigh, the young man furrowed his eyebrows slightly as he tired to remember where his fiancée had said she was going that morning.

"Ugh…ummm she got a call this morning and went into work."

The fifteen-year-old girl nodded her dark tresses as she heard this- Kira had been working as many hours as she could ever since Denzel had proposed only a month ago, although the wedding was set for the summer of next year to allow time for saving of funds, but nonetheless, Kira had been working as many hours as she could at Shinra, and when she came home, Denzel would have Jason in bed, but the young man would set off early to help Cloud with the Strife Delivery Service and earn his share of the funds aswell. But they were happy in getting there.

"How's your romance going?"

With a start, Kearie could feel the red blush violently igniting her cheeks…_romance_…she wouldn't exactly call it that. Nobody was meant to find out about it, but sure in a way, they all had the habit of hearing it from someone along the line- they'd all managed to find out about Selphie and he going out those three months ago. The only one who hadn't mentioned it to her was her father, although she knew he was aware- but her Dad was never one to make her talk about something she didn't want to, and the teen was thankful for that...

Steven Highwind…her first kiss…her first boyfriend…and her first break-up…

* * *

She wiped away a few fresh tears as she placed the letter back down on the table, feeling her heart give the familiar pulls she was now so used to; she missed him dearly- he'd been the man to train her as a little girl and take her to Midgar, thus saving her life and setting her on her path to meet back up with Cloud and encounter the rest of the AVALANCHE group that suddenly seemed like strangers to her…but at least she'd always have Zangan to keep in touch with- he'd managed to keep tabs on everyone by sending her at least two letters a year. Finding herself with idle time to spare, Tifa picked up the letter and began to read through it again…

"_Dear Tifa,_

_How are you doing? Well I hope. Things in Edge are fine…enough of the small talk; I've never been good at it, you know that. Young Denzel proposed to Kira since last I wrote to you and she happily accepted with the date for some time next summer. Their little Jason, your grandson, is now running around the place like a whirlwind and keeps his Mom and Dad on their toes…Marlene is still in Junon College, studying the Cetra and various science courses…Cloud baby-sits Jason sometimes and Kearie is doting on him every chance she gets. Yuffie and Vincent just arrived back from Wutai after a spending a couple of weeks there; apparently there were some political issues that needed sorting out; both King and Queen are looking pretty exhausted and Yuffie is abnormally quiet about the whole thing; nobody knows why exactly the whole Valentine family were so suddenly recalled...young Jamie went with them and I swear he's grown another couple inches upon his return to school; I must say he seems to be turning a lot like his father and into a fine young man. The Strife Delivery Service is booming and I dare say I've seen your Kearie on the back that motorcycle and running up and down streets with packages in her hands- Cloud's got one hell of a girl there. She's already at Black Belt standard and passed it- just like you were at her age. I know you tell me not to every time you write, but she turned fifteen last week and I couldn't resist; it was taken on her birthday, I hope you'll forgive me…it's in the envelope._

_Take care of yourself,_

_Zangan._"

With her interest now piqued, Tifa placed the letter back down onto the table, opening the drawer where she kept the rest of the letters her old master had sent her…but before sliding the letter in the drawer, she picked up the brown envelope, only now noticing that Zangan had been telling the truth and that there was in fact something left within the paper sleeve.

"Son of a…"

The attractive woman let the insult die in her throat as countless more foul curses sprang to mind, but her fingers had already drawn out the item and held it in her shaking right hand as her wine-hued irises fixed their reddish-hazel gaze upon the precious image. She'd told him on countless occasions not to send any photographs…and yet, shaking like a leaf in her grasp, was barely held the frozen moment in time that a camera had innocently captured for eternity.

She was dressed in a pair of tattered black jeans, a simple white tank top with a black embroidered butterfly across the bust and her dark hair was tied up in a fashion that rang so many bells of recollection it was haunting- loose ponytail, tied near the very end…this young woman was supposedly the small infant she'd abandoned all those years ago; impossible as it only felt like yesterday she'd said goodbye to the baby, not a whole fifteen years…Cloud looked different aswell; and Denzel; he seemed unrecognisable if not for the same grin he'd bore as a child…Marlene was a young woman now, already into adulthood and making Barret immensely proud…but her daughter- standing there in front of her cake on her fifteenth birthday…the mother couldn't believe she'd abandoned _that_.

But now Tifa could feel her maternal instincts, as rusty as they may be, blowing back into agonizing life as the tears slid resistantly down her cheeks, the image of the picture burned unto her mind's eye- if she ever saw Zangan again, she would curse him with as many swears as she could, but the smiling face of Kearie- the daughter she'd selfishly abandoned- seemed like a beacon that pulled her towards Edge and would do so for a further year before Tifa would set eyes upon her child for the first time in a decade and a half...

**A/n- Well, please let me know what you thought guys, and I'm sorry for disappearing with this fic!! XxxxxxxxxxxxxxX**


	7. School Trip

**Author's Note:** Le gasp! She lives! Sorry for the wait guys, please don't kill me!!! I'm reall, really sorry, but school kinda became a priority and with Christmas coming up I finally have some time to write. Sorry again guys and please forgive me.

**Additional Note:** Just to help pace the fic, this chapter takes place during chapter 4 ("To Cheer Up A Teenager") of _You Left Us_.

* * *

"Oww!"

Selphie stood up from her seat on the bus and turned around striking one of the boys sitting behind her who had seen it fit to slap her sharply across the back of the head. Such actions were par for the course when one crammed thirty-odd teenagers into a bus and drove them for a number of hours to visit nothing more riveting than an old, dysfunctional Mako-Reactor atop a craggy old hill.

More so, the teens were predominantly city kids with a few Gongaga youths mixed among them; resulting in a natural dislike for hiking up a mountain and back down it again - the cold concrete pavements and numerous shops seemed to call them back to the city.

Waking up from a light sleep and unsuccessfully stifling a yawn, Kearie looked around the bus through bleary eyes - things were breaking down; for the first hour or so, the teenagers had been well-behaved, but that had died soon after as the enclosed space and ever-bumpy drive wore away at the patience of the kids and they became snappy towards each other. Five hours they'd been travelling now, having left Edge before the sun had dared rise above the horizon of the Midgar Plains.

Kearie still wasn't feeling the best - she had a sting of antibiotics to take and still had a slight chest infection, but it was just too boring hanging about the house all day. Besides, she was most definitely going to avoid Chocobos today - another stint at the doctor's didn't seem enticing in the least.

The boys on the bus were getting wilder and wilder - with their MP3s drained of their batteries, they were finding more annoying ways to entertain themselves. Five hours was bad enough, but to think that they had to travel the whole way back again was just pure torture!

Her Dad had told her that the old Reactor was quite a walk from the village, but he had asked her to do one thing before leaving that morning - to lay a flower by the Strife house. From what he knew, Cloud surmised that the stranger still lived there in his rebuilt home, but it was the sight of his mother's death and she'd agreed to lay a flower.

The sensation of an empty water bottle striking the side of her head jolted the young woman back to the battlefield of the bus, scanning around for the culprits; causing Bobby and Steven to immediately duck below the level of the seats; they'd already received a few well-aimed thumps from a tired and irate Selphie as it was.

The small form of Nibelheim soon materialized as the bus drew ever closer to the village's feeble little boundaries. Such a small place seemed slightly enchanting to the eyes of a street-wise teenager so used to the sight of towering buildings and steel construction frames; the only thing that framed the village here was the breathtaking backdrop of some very aggressive looking mountains that seemed to painfully pierce the pale blue sky above.

"Jamie, we're here …"

The sixteen-year-old lightly elbowed the lad beside her, who had succumbed to a light sleep about half-an-hour ago at this stage. The red eyes blinked open slowly as they momentarily filled with confusion, before finally comprehending where he was. Kearie laughed as she noted this, then stood and walked back to Selphie who was staring daggers over at Karris, who had decided it amusing to give the empty water bottle another throw, this time hitting the fiery Turk-daughter. It seemed best to avoid yet another fight; there had been one last week and their dads hadn't been all that much impressed at being called in by the headmaster … again.

* * *

More tourists, even worse; _students_. They'd been turning up for the last week or two as part of various school trips. Why the schools chose to visit that horrible building still confounded her. She'd never liked bringing people up there; the walk was fine, she enjoyed that part, but that building only served in bringing back too many memories, including the white cross that stood there for her father.

The woman sighed as the sun shone down upon the lonesome water-well that marked the centre of the small village. Her legs muscles were tight, to the point of almost painful - a result of reclaiming her old title of mountain guide for the last two weeks, but a youngster, only about nineteen, was taking over from her today, something she was extremely glad for. She'd earned a lot of extra gil de to the guiding, but then again, looking around the small Nibelheim, where was one to spend such money?

The many teenagers laughed as they exited off the bus glad of the fresh air … and Tifa Strife found herself back inside the shaded bar that had become her substitute home for the past lifetime. There had been panic about two months ago as the woman had walked out from the store to see a familiar redheaded figure partially-slumped over the counter, flirting with the young, teenage barmaid. Fortunately, she'd managed to duck back into the store whilst Reno had been occupied. Zangan had last visited a week ago and, try as he might, the aged Martial Artist couldn't help but let slip a few words concerning Kearie. Apparently she'd gotten herself a boyfriend, although Zangan had deliberately left out who the lad was, after cruelly piquing her interest.

Tifa was saved from any more thinking as the door opened and a few teachers walked in, ordering food from the small kitchen out back. It was usual for the teachers to find their way into the bar as the guides took the teens off their hands and Minerva knew the educators deserved a rest; the bus trip was long and teenagers got bored _very_ quickly.

* * *

"Jamie, you want anything?"

"Yeah, a drink …"

The youth nodded his head as Selphie managed to drag her boyfriend into the small shop. He smirked as he noticed Bobby keeping Selphie on the opposite side of his broken arm. It had been rather amusing helping out at the Shinra building last night. The young Valentine had offered to lend a hand with moving some office apparatus around, with a new section of the building being furnished. It had taken the combined efforts of himself, Bobby, Steven, Reno, Rude, Tseng and even Rufus himself. It had only taken one second of relaxed attention for Bobby's arm to be trapped between a heavy filing cabinet and the concrete wall, resulting in a horrible crack and a pained gasp from the youth. In retrospect, it had been kinda ironic that the new part of the Shinra building had been the Medical wing … after they'd managed to pull the cabinet away from the wall, the nurses and doctor had seen to Bobby's arm - broken in two places along the forearm.

As he smirked to himself about the happenings of the previous night, Jamie leaned back against the wall, waiting for Kearie and the others to come back out of the shop - it was packed enough in there with the rest of the class without him trying to cramp in aswell.

* * *

It was bad enough with the numerous teachers nattering on and on about their fulfilling careers and the children they come across each day, but then to hear a few surnames she recognised … Valentine, Tilmitt, Highwind, Shinra and Strife. As the talk turned to the progeny of her past, Tifa decided it high-time to get some fresh air; the new girl, whom Reno had been hitting on two months ago, could handle the slow business in here.

The village seemed somewhat alive today; there were people moving across the small streets between the houses. Younger heads from the city seemed to add more vitality to the quiet people of Nibelheim. The once-mother made her way towards the small generals shop, the only type in the village, having been set-up only a year ago. The bar owner had asked her to go by today and collect a few bags of ice being kept in the shop's freezer.

Coming to the house that had once belonged to the Strifes, a flicker of colour caught the woman's attention - a single white flower lay on the ground. Carrying on, Tifa found herself freezing at the corner of the house. There were a few kids heading into the shop.

"_Yeah_, _a __drink_ …"

She knew that undertone voice, that black hair and those piercing red eyes. But his features seemed to suggest something else: slightly oval-shaped eyes and his accent; the boy had Wutain descent. He was a Valentine by the looks of him and that girl was definitely Elena's daughter judging by her talkative ways.

Oh no. He was looking right at her. Sixteen years of hiding for this? To walk straight into what she'd run away from? No! She hadn't run away; she just needed some time: that was all - sixteen years worth of time. Now he was moving towards her, and her legs were automatically back-tracking away from the lad.

"Hey, wait a sec!"

Damn it! Now he was running down the street after, but Tifa knew this terrain better than the city-wise boy and masterfully ducked behind the next house, out of the lad's perceptive view.

"Jamie? What're you doing back here?"

That voice was one Tifa didn't recognise in any way and yet she knew not to look back. Not now. Not after sixteen years. Instead the woman made a hasty return to the bar. The ice could wait 'til the students were gone back to Edge.

**A/n- Let me know what you guys thought of it, and I'm really sorry for the wait again! Forgive me? *****Puppy-dog eyes***


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